


Pretending to know what you're doing

by Silverdancer



Category: VIXX
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, dalgona coffee challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:42:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25789027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverdancer/pseuds/Silverdancer
Summary: In the face of a new challenge, Taekwoon has regrets.Or, the one where Taekwoon attempts the latest viral challenge.
Relationships: Cha Hakyeon | N/Jung Taekwoon | Leo
Comments: 21
Kudos: 42





	Pretending to know what you're doing

It’s a beautiful day. 

It’s sunny, Taekwoon has slept well and he woke up with his favorite song playing on the radio. It’s a day where nothing can go wrong. Today, Taekwoon decides, is the day.

Today he will win Jaehwan’s challenge.

***

Ever since Jaehwan posted his challenge video on youtube and teased all of them to do it better than him, Taekwoon has been researching and studying, comparing recipes and amounts and methods, in his search for the best one.

He can almost hear Sanghyuk and Hongbin teasing him as he does so, for taking this too seriously. But this is coffee. If he fails this, he will never be able to live it down, not after all these years of complaining about powdered, store bought coffee. 

Once he settles on the method to use, the only thing to decide is where and when to do it. It needs to be somewhere well lit, and preferably silent, so his parents house is out of the question. As much as he loves his family, a new baby and a kid are not exactly silent. Even if he somehow got to do it one of the days when they are not there, he doubts he would be able to do something like that without his parents, bless them, wanting to help. 

With that out of the question, however, his options are limited to his parent’s farm house, or Hakyeon’s apartment. 

With the ingredients in one hand, and unlocking Hakyeon’s apartment with the other, Taekwoon has to admit that there was never much of a choice.

***

Everything is ready: The ingredients are on the table, the phone is ready to start filming and the music is on.

He even has a printed copy of the recipe he’s going to be using, hidden from the camera’s angle, in case he needs a reminder. He can almost hear Sanghyuk’s voice calling him a cheater as he double checks that the note is not visible on the area the phone is filming.

“It’s not cheating if there are no rules,” he replies to the Sanghyuk in his head. If he sounds like a petulant child, there is no one to prove that.

And then the door opens.

***

Taekwoon knows that ghosts do not exist but until Hakyeon emerges from the entrance hallway, he considers it a definite possibility.

He would have been less surprised to see a ghost, at least. 

“What are you doing here?”

“I live here,” Hakyeon replies, walking to drop his bag for the weekend by the couch. Taekwoon stays still as he does so, turning around and meeting Taekwoon at the other side of the counter.

Hakyeon stands there, looking at the set up Taekwoon has around his kitchen, the unspoken question clear in his eyes. He looks amused, though, so Taekwoon doesn’t think he’s in a lot of trouble.

“I didn’t know you had a vacation this weekend,” Taekwoon’s mouth asks, the traitor, as if Hakyeon were the one sneaking in other people’s places and not, you know, him. 

By the way he arches his eyebrow, Hakyeon also sees the irony in that, but answers anyway. “Was supposed to be a _surprise_.”

He leaves it at that, waiting for Taekwoon to-

Oh. A surprise.

“ _Oh._ ”

Look at Hakyeon, taking a secret vacation from everyone to surprise Taekwoon, as Taekwoon is taking over his apartment in secret to answer a dare. He’s going to have to prepare the best birthday surprise or he is never going to live this down. 

“Alright,” Hakyeon takes Taekwoon’s surprise as his chance to lean in and kiss him briefly before taking stock of the state of his kitchen, and pulling his sleeves up, ready to help. “What do you have here?”

***

Explaining his mission to Hakyeon is easy (” _Of course I know what dalgona coffee is, Taekwoon._ ”). Now that he is there, however, they also have to agree on what he can do.

“Do you want me to read the recipe for you as you go?”

“It’s fine, I have it here.”

“I could measure things before you pour them?”

“There’s not much to measure,” Taekwoon comments sadly. Hakyeon leans against the counter, looking at Taekwoon knowingly.

“So you just want me to sit here and watch.” 

“Pretty much,” Taekwoon says. “I’m supposed to do this by myself.”

The smile Hakyeon gives him when he agrees is not reassuring in the slightest.

***

"How is it going?"

The recipe had been easy enough. Mix the instant coffee, the sugar and the water, and then you're ready for the next step. The main event.

The stirring. 

Most of the recipes agreed that the ending result was better if the mixing was done by hand, even if it was not the quickest of methods. No shortcuts is always the best shortcut for good food, Taekwoon knows that. 

However, right now, five minutes into stirring and with no development in sight, Taekwoon wishes he had taken the electrical mixer path.

Not that he's going to tell that to Hakyeon.

"It's supposed to be this slow," Taekwoon mutters, not taking his eyes off the bowl. He doesn’t need to see the smile Hakyeon is directing at him right now. 

Who is he kidding, he really does.

The sight does not disappoint, with Hakyeon leaning as close as he can without actually being in the recording frame, so close that Taekwoon could probably touch him if it weren’t for the torture he’s inflicting on himself. And then he gets caught in his face, with Hakyeon looking at him as if he’s the dumbest thing he has ever laid his eyes on and the most precious thing he has in his life, and Taekwoon could swear his heart skips a beat for a second. 

It’s incredibly fond and it makes Taekwoon feel like home.

“I was just wondering because,” Hakyeon starts and oh no, Taekwoon knows this tone, “I can’t wait to start on the plans I had for us today.” 

The wounded noise that leaves Taekwoon’s mouth is both loud and unexpected, making Hakyeon laugh for real. 

He spins his hand quicker, hoping it will handle the rhythm.

***

Twenty minutes in, Taekwoon is starting to get a cramp on his arm. His wrist has been sore for the last five minutes,he pushed through by sheer determination and now his arm is about to cramp.

The thing in the bowl is still mostly liquid and Taekwoon is sure that if it could it would be mocking him. 

Even Hakyeon went to shower and change in the meantime, leaving Taekwoon alone with his thoughts. Not that he could actually help, but Taekwoon has to admit that this is far more interesting to have Hakyeon there, even if it is just to keep him company. 

Being alone for the time being and figuring he’s already going to need to edit the video to add in a good voice over and music over their conversation he doesn’t feel bad pausing the movement for a bit to stretch and get rid of the cramp. 

Of course, that is when Hakyeon decides to come back, freshly showered and one of his softest t-shirts he owns. A sight for sore eyes that Taekwoon can’t really enjoy yet. 

The look Hakyeon gives him tells him that he knows what he’s doing and Taekwoon wants to hate him a little. 

And then he notices him resting.

“Are you sure you should be stopping?” Hakyeon says, getting comfortable in his spot right in front of Taekwoon’s field of vision again. 

“Got a cramp, had to pause for a bit,” Taekwoon answers, not sticking his tongue out then because that would be childish. And he is not childish. “You could help me, though, if you are in a rush,” he says after a pause and oh, there’s an idea. 

“Ah, but you should do this yourself, isn’t that right?” Hakyeon shoots back, using what he probably thinks it’s a good imitation of Taekwoon. But it doesn’t. He just sounds ridiculous. 

Taekwoon does stick out his tongue this time, and goes back to work.

***

That doesn’t stop Taekwoon from trying.

Forty five minutes in, Taekwoon looks at Hakyeon’s arms shamelessly, sighing loudly, “Oh, if only someone around here had a strong complexion and could help me.”

After they make it to the hour, Hakyeon has reached for his tablet, the goo is slightly less liquid, a little brighter in color, and Taekwoon’s arm feels like it’s going to fall out of his body. His whine makes Hakyeon look up, just like he knew it would, and Taekwoon makes his best pleading eyes at him. Hakyeon shakes his head, clearly amused, and goes back to read. 

Fifteen minutes later, he’s regretting every life choice that has led him to this point and while Hakyeon does reach over to pat him on the head, he does not offer to take over the mixing.

***

Taekwoon’s not trying to be dramatic but if he doesn’t get this done in the next ten minutes he might jump off the balcony. He’s sure that he will be hearing the sound of the batting even after he’s done, even in his dreams.

He’s so close though, he also cannot stop now. The mix is no longer liquid, and it’s starting to get the necessary volume. He just needs to keep going to make it fluffy, it’s just a little more. 

He knows that the last stretch is the hardest, because he’s tired and that the ending is closer than what it looks like. But just because he knows it doesn’t make it easier. 

“Come on,” Hakyeon says, his hand appearing out of nowhere to grab at the bowl that Taekwoon is pretty sure has now attached to him as an extension of his body, “hand it over.” 

It takes a couple of moments for Taekwoon’s brain to catch up with what Hakyeon is saying. Hakyeon waits, always patient with Taekwoon, until he does let the bowl go. Moves around the table to be on the proper side of the camera and starts mixing.

And then he’s being absolutely dramatic, pushing the bowl out of Hakyeon’s hands to kiss him silly against the counter, but he doesn’t really mind.

***

He completes the challenge.

(“Okay, what’s the verdict?” 

Hakyeon looks at Taekwoon waiting for his reaction after taking the first sip. Taekwoon, in turn, pauses. Mulling it over. Drinking a second sip. 

In the end, there is no mistake — it’s bland. Very bland.

By the way Hakyeon is looking at him, he doesn’t need to say anything. He sets himself beside Taekwoon and pats his back, trying to be comforting. 

“Maybe we could try with another method?”

“And have me mixing again? I don’t think so.” 

“But-”

“I have a better idea anyway,” Hakyeon says, pulling Taekwoon towards him until they are standing together and all Taekwoon can see are Hakyeon’s eyes and- 

Yes, he thinks as he feels Hakyeon’s lips against his, this is definitely better.)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for stopping by! I know I am not usually one for leaving lengthy notes, but it is no coincidence I finished this and I am posting this when I am.
> 
> Thank you R for the idea that allowed me to develop this in a way I liked. To J and M for the support and T for the support, too, but also the beta ♥
> 
> Now, there is no Hongbin in this fic but he is _always_ around. VIXX is 6 is what I am saying. Always and forever. 
> 
> It's okay to be sad, to not be okay. And if this helps you take your mind of it a bit, then I am glad ♥


End file.
